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Research reportPublished by Spotsaas Research · October 2026

Cybersecurity Demand Gen Benchmarks 2026

24 metrics defining the state of enterprise cybersecurity — spending, threats, operations, talent, tooling, and compliance.

24
Benchmarks
12
Published sources
2026
Edition
Endpoint ManagementNetwork Monitoring
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Executive summary

What the data shows

This report compiles 24 benchmarks from 12 independently published sources to give endpoint management and network monitoring buyers a data-grounded view of where the market stands in 2026. Below are the four findings that matter most for software evaluation and budget planning.

1

Global cybersecurity spending hits $248.9B (+17%), but budget growth rates dropped to a five-year low of 4%

2

Breach costs declined 9% to $4.44M — first dip in five years — but U.S. hit a record $10.22M

3

Third-party breaches doubled to 30% of all incidents

4

75% of organisations are actively consolidating from an average of 83 security tools

Key statistics

Cybersecurity by the numbers

The headline figures, each attributed to the published report it came from.

$248.9B
Global cybersecurity spending
Up 17% year-over-year — Gartner 2025
$4.44M
Average cost of a data breach
Down 9% from prior year — IBM Cost of a Data Breach 2025
30%
Breaches involving third parties
Doubled from 15% in 2023 — Verizon DBIR 2025
83
Average security tools per org
75% are actively consolidating — Panaseer 2025
3.5M
Unfilled cybersecurity jobs globally
ISC2 Cybersecurity Workforce Study 2025
277 days
Average time to identify + contain a breach
IBM Cost of a Data Breach 2025

Every figure sourced from a published report with disclosed methodology. Full citations in the downloadable report.

Report contents

What you get in the full report

Six sections beyond the figures above, in a print-ready PDF.

Executive summary
A one-page overview of every key finding, written for executives and procurement leads.
Year-over-year trends
How each metric has shifted since 2023 — where endpoint management and network monitoring is improving and where it's stuck.
Per-section recommendations
What these benchmarks mean for your buying decisions, with specific next steps per metric.
Visual charts and tables
Every statistic presented as a chart or comparison table — ready for your internal presentations.
Full source citations
All 12 sources listed with report name, publisher, year, and sample size where available.
Print-ready PDF
Formatted for printing or screen sharing — no extra design work needed.

Research methodology

How this report was compiled

This report aggregates 24 metrics from 12 independently published industry sources released between Q3 2024 and Q2 2025. Every statistic is attributed to its original source with the publication year, publisher name, and — where disclosed — sample size and research methodology.

Source selection criteria. We include a metric only when it meets three requirements: (1) it comes from a named, publicly available report, (2) it is based on a disclosed methodology with a sample size of at least 200 organisations or 1,000 professionals, and (3) it is directly relevant to endpoint management and network monitoring software evaluation or operational planning.

Verification process. Where two sources report different figures for the same metric, we note the range in the full report and display the figure from the most recent or most methodologically rigorous source. We do not average conflicting figures.

Editorial independence. Spotsaas does not generate primary research data. We aggregate, verify, and contextualise published benchmarks to help software buyers understand market baselines. No vendor paid for inclusion or positioning in this report.

Transparency

Sources cited in this report

The 12 published reports behind every figure above.

Gartner 2025IBM Cost of a Data Breach 2025Verizon DBIR 2025Panaseer 2025ISC2 Cybersecurity Workforce Study 2025

Full citations with report titles, publishers, publication dates, and sample sizes are included in the downloadable report.

Everything above, plus the full analysis

Everything above — plus year-over-year trend analysis, per-section recommendations, visual charts, and the complete source list. Free, instant, no sales calls.

  • 24 benchmarks with full citations
  • Year-over-year trend comparisons
  • Per-section buying recommendations
  • Print-ready charts and tables
PDF · FreeCybersecurity Benchmarks

Where should we send it? Free · arrives in seconds · no spam.

We email it to you — one-click unsubscribe anytime.

Common questions

Frequently asked questions

How much do companies spend on cybersecurity in 2026?
Global cybersecurity spending reached $248.9 billion in 2025-2026, a 17% year-over-year increase according to Gartner. However, budget growth rates at individual organisations dropped to a five-year low of 4%, indicating spending is consolidating among larger vendors.
What is the average cost of a data breach in 2026?
The global average cost of a data breach is $4.44 million according to IBM's 2025 Cost of a Data Breach report, a 9% decline from the prior year. However, U.S. breaches hit a record $10.22 million average, and healthcare remains the most expensive sector at $10.93 million.
How many unfilled cybersecurity jobs are there?
There are approximately 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity positions globally according to the ISC2 2025 Cybersecurity Workforce Study. The gap has grown 12.6% year-over-year despite more people entering the field.
What percentage of breaches involve third parties?
Third-party breaches now account for 30% of all incidents, doubling from 15% two years ago according to the Verizon 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report. Supply chain attacks and compromised vendor credentials are the primary vectors.

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24 benchmarks from 12 published sources — year-over-year trends, per-section recommendations, visual charts, and full citations. Free, instant, no sales calls.

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